CDLXII. MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791)
Yesterday's post was a Divertimento written when Mozart was 17. Today we feature a Serenade for eight musicians -- two each of oboes, clarinets, bassoons and horns -- written when he was 25.
Mozart was ensconced in Vienna at this time, and his enthusiasm for this marvelous chamber music is in evidence from a letter to his father:
"At 11 o'clock at night, I was treated to a serenade that I wrote for St. Theresa's Day for Frau von Hickel's sister, or rather the sister-in-law of Herr von Hickel, court painter, at whose house it was performed for the first time. The six gentlemen [Mozart had at that time not yet revised the work, adding the oboes -- LS] who executed it are poor beggars who, however, play quiet well together, particularly the first clarinet and the two horns. But the chief reason why I composed it was in order to let Herr von Strick (Chamberlain to the Emperor Joseph II), who goes there every day, hear something of my composition; so I wrote it rather carefully. It has won great applause too, and on St. Theresa's Night it was performed in three different places; for as soon as they finished playing it one place, they were taken off somewhere else and payed to play it. Well these musicians asked that the street door might be opened and, placing themselves in the centre of the courtyard, surprised me, just as I was about to undress, in the most pleasant fashion imaginable with the chord of E-Flat."
First movement
A marvel of insightful composition. Note the dissonant suspension -- A-Flat and G -- the G resolving to an F ...
Second movement
A delightful minuet and trio:
Third movement
A light, but profound Adagio. Note the beautiful melody given to the Horn player:
Fourth movement
Another charming minuet & trio:
Fifth movement
A spirited finale with sagacious use of each element of the octet:
with a clever fugato thrown in for good measure:
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